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Archiver > AUS-SAGEN > 2003-08 > 1060052148


From: Gil Hardwick <>
Subject: Re: [AUS-SAGEN] Coats of Arms
Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2003 10:55:48 +0800
In-Reply-To: <000201c35a48$16155db0$558906ca@t844p>


At 02:43 PM 4/08/03 +1000, Tracey wrote:
>Does anyone know about the "coats of arms"???
>Is there any good site to go to that would explain what a coat of arms for
>your family means???
>
>Actually I don't know anything at all, any help would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks guys.

Coats of arms are awarded to individuals, not to families, and
from that point passed to their legitimate heirs.

Just because someone happens to bear the same surname
does not give them the right to bear the arms associated with
that name.

Simply having a surname does not imply a right to bear arms
at all, in fact. Unless one can show that they are the heir to
the estate of whoever was granted the right to arms in the first
place, just like a house or a farm they have no claim to make.

This contemporary trend toward making family coats of arms
generally available is nothing more than a bit of fun, harmless
in itself, but implying no rights whatsoever.

There are people around who like to imagine that they are noble
lineage, putting on airs and graces along with their newly acquired
wall plaque, but that makes them look even sillier in my book.

Gil


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